Ryu had chosen to cultivate three Six Star cultivation techniques at once. However, each focused primarily on increasing qi density and didn't have any special abilities. Though this neutral type qi was the easiest to accumulate, with this ease came the disadvantage of being a master of none. Neutral qi could meld into any technique, but it was impossible to take a technique to its theoretical peak using neutral qi, reason being every technique had a type of qi most suitable to it.
In this case, though Death Seals could be formed without the use of death qi, the very best Death Seals could not do without it. If Ryu wanted to form one, he would have no choice but to learn to manipulate Death Qi.
Ryu sighed. 'If I knew this ahead of time, I probably wouldn't have invested so much time into reaching this place.'
In the end, Ryu was reluctant to convert his neutral qi into death qi. The singular benefit of Necromancy it wasn't worth it, especially since it was mere Refinement Necromancy. If it was the Legacy of a Summoning Necromancer before him, he wouldn't hesitate in the slightest.
Ryu was still too immature in the ways of the martial world. Because he wasn't familiar with the specifics of numerous paths, he had neglected such an important point. This was yet another lesson for him.
If only he had a Cultus Faerie, he wouldn't even need a Legacy to become a Summoning Necromancer.
Ailsa smiled. 'What are you worrying for with me here? Do you believe I would let you waste so much time by coming here? You look down on your Big Sis too much.'
Ryu turned to Ailsa who sat on his shoulder, a peculiar light in his eyes.
"You have a way?"
'Mhm, mhm.' Ailsa smiled a devious smiled. 'But you have to call me Big Sis first.'
Ryu coughed. You're almost a billion years old, can't you be a bit more mature?
'Hmph, what did I tell you about speaking of a lady's age?'
Ryu cleared his throat. "Please help me, Big Sis."
Ailsa was surprised Ryu caved so easily, it took all the fun out of it. But, she could only sigh. Ryu had definitely calculated that this would deal the best blow to her. What a sneaky little boy.
'You're forgetting something very important. The miniature dantian of your [Six Realm Opening] technique aren't just for show.'
Ryu's eyes shone. Of his three qi techniques, this one was maybe the most curious. It was able to expand one's Qi Pulses to be used as a store of qi, thus vastly increasing a cultivator's energy stores. To now, Ryu had opened four of them to enter the Higher Qi Refinement Realm. He had two more to go, one for the Peak Qi Refinement Realm, and the final for the Half-Step Spiritual Severing Realm.
'The best benefit of [Six Realm Opening] isn't just its greater energy stores, you can essentially treat each miniature dantian as its own little world. As your true dantian has a Spiritual Foundation within it, you can build new foundations within your miniature dantians. Of course, these won't be Spiritual Foundations as you won't be able to plant Cosmic Seeds in them in the future, but they still have great use to you.
'Usually, cultivating multiple qi types is next to impossible except for those with special Bone Structures. For example, the Heaven Grade Twin Star Bone Structure, the Sovereign Grade Yin-Yang Bone Structure, or the Ancestral Grade Karmic Flow Bone Structure, to name a few. However, there are also special bloodline, meridians and cultivation techniques as well.'
[Author's Note: For talent grades (bloodline, bone structure, spiritual foundation) the mystical grade is replaced with the sovereign grade. So, one step above heaven grade].
Ailsa laughed, seeing that Ryu understood her meaning.
'The mortal [Six Realm Opening] technique will allow you to cultivate and use six separate qis. The immortal [Six Realm Opening], after you open your Qi Vessels, will allow you six more.
'Under normal circumstances, the mortal [Six Realm Opening] would only allow you to store inferior qi types of a lower grade. You normally wouldn't be able to access higher qi grades until you began using the immortal version of the technique, but even then if you wanted to store the highest grade qis, you'd have to rely on your True Dantian. But, because you have Chaotic Silk meridians, these limitations don't apply to you. So… What once was a generally ignored auxiliary ability of this technique is akin to giving a tiger wings to you…'
Ryu didn't need to hear anymore. Since he didn't need to convert all of his qi into death qi, and only needed to occupy a single one of his Pulses with this qi, this matter became extremely convenient. The only gripe he had was that Hecate's cultivation technique – [Gravestone Hymn] – was only Four Star and gathered an inferior type of death qi.
Unfortunately, Death Qi was a broad umbrella term that encompassed many qis suitable for this category. Hecate's death qi was nominally known as Grave Qi and was a Heaven Grade qi type. Luckily, this meant it reached the bare requirements for having an Immortal version of itself. Unfortunately, it would never see the Cosmic Qi realm.
Qi grades of Common and Black, and many Earth only had Mortal Qi versions. Some Earth and all Heaven Grade qis had Immortal Qi versions, meaning they could be used into the Connecting Heaven Realm. Only Mystical and Ancestral Grade Qis could upgrade further into Cosmic Qi. Luckily for many, neutral qi was unranked and could smoothly transition to the very best Cosmic Qi.
Still, Ryu was content with this for now. With the Ruin Matrix, a wider door had opened up for him. So, he quickly focused on cultivating this new Grave Qi.
**
Within the Inner Ring, a group of white-haired elders had come together, each exuding powerful auras.
"It's already been almost a half year since Second Grand Elder Leopold's Life Flame extinguished. And now, yet another member of our Zu Clan is dead… Elder Delonte's Life Flame has vanished."
For their once mighty Clan, the loss of a Connecting Heaven and a Peak Divine Vessel Realm expert was too much. Their strength had declined by at least half in less than a year.? A truly devastating blow.
"Finding the culprit is important, but I'm sure you all are thinking something else. Whatever treasure Elder Delonte used to grow so powerful so quickly… With his death, we must find it."